‘Bachelorette’ picks up steam Monday

ABC show hits season high; NBC's 'Talent' tops night

ABC’s ”The Bachelorette” is building some momentum as it heads into its final month, hitting a summer high Monday. NBC still won the night thanks to ”America’s Got Talent” and more U.S. Olympic trials.

According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, ”The Bachelorette” averaged a 2.5 rating/8 share in adults 18-49 and 7.4 million viewers overall from 8 to 10 p.m., with the show expected to hit a 2.6 when its four carryover minutes are included in the average. It was the night’s No. 1 show in adults 18-34 (2.1/7) and all female demos. Closing out the night was ”The Glass House” (1.2/3 in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall), which is expected to edge down to a 1.1 in the demo.

NBC aired a 150-minute episode of ”America’s Got Talent” (2.9/9 in 18-49, 10.2 million viewers overall), which easily led its final two hours from 9 to 11 and was the night’s No. 1 show in most broad categories. In the opening half-hour, U.S. Olympic swimming trials averaged a 1.8/6 in 18-49 and 7.3 million viewers overall.

Fox ran third from 8 to 10 p.m., but earned a second-place finish overall, as ”Hell’s Kitchen” (2.4/8 in 18-49, 5.8 million viewers overall) and ”Masterchef” (2.3/6 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall) continue their solid showings this summer. ”Kitchen” cooked up a share of the 18-49 lead in the 8 o’clock hour and also won outright in key male demos.